Our school district just approved to close 3 schools starting the 2016-2017 school year. This would effect where our girls go to middle school. Their current middle school (grades 6-8) would close and they would end up at a different one for grades 5-7. This new school is fine (test scores, teachers), but I'm uncomfortable with the location- it's surrounded by a lot of run down apartment buildings and a 7-eleven... it just doesn't feel like a place we want our 10-12 year old girls to go. The elementary (grades K-4) and high school (grades 8-12) are great, so it would just be grades 5-7.
We bought this house in 2007- no kids at the time, but I picked the neighborhood specifically for the schools and the style of houses. We truly love our house, the neighborhood, and we put quite a bit of $ (brand new kitchen, roof, gutters, side door, porch, etc) into it. Plus this house will be paid off in 2025 at the latest, which is awesome. If we do decide to move, we really can't for 3 years- day care is way too much ($1,700/month) to be able to afford a larger home (thinking this next one would be our forever home) in a different district (FYI- the different district only has 1 middle, 1 high school.. hopefully not much room for closures and redistricting).
Am I being a big snob about this middle school? Should we get an official plan on getting the house ready to sell in Spring 2017 (DD#2's last year of day care)? What does MM think? Thanks!
Re: Thoughts on moving
It's a new thing for the district with this approved plan. Right now, their schools are typical- K-5, 6-8, 9-12. Now with this plan, it'll be K-4, 5-7, 8-12.. I'm assuming they'll keep the 8th graders kind of separated, but not really sure. The one plan that I actually liked, but didn't get approved was K-6 at the elementary and 7-12 at the high school. The 7 and 8 would have their own area, gym, cafeteria. I had my trouble year in 7th grade- I think that's why I'm so worried about them going to that other middle school.
The good thing is that we have some time to figure it out- we're going to get a list of things we need to do to our current house started this summer anyway.. can't hurt to be prepared.
Another thing to take into consideration, will it be worth it to give up a house you love, a neighborhood you love and uproot your kids moving them at that point from their friends they have grown up with?
Your daughers are still young, you have a while until you have to worry about this. A lot of things change. Who knows how the neighborhood will change in 5 years or 10 years. IF once your daughter is of age to enter that school and its truly completely horrible and unexceptable then you can always do private school for a few years. Higher income homes could be built, the apartment complex could close or go under new management, the 7-eleven could close. Don't count on the condition of the neighborhood to stay the same.
Don't let this be a factor in your plans for your future. If you want to move anyway then thats one thing, but don't move because of one school.
I hope your schools are better, but I am sending my son to private schools all 12 years, not to charter schools which in most cases are even worse then the public schools.